Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps the Government took to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on 25 November.

Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is a government priority. VAWG is unacceptable and preventable.

To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Home Secretary visited Refuge – a charity providing specialist services to victims and survivors of domestic abuse. The Home Secretary saw, first-hand, the National Domestic Violence Helpline the Home Office funds, which offers support and advice to victims and survivors of domestic abuse.

I visited Project Foundation at the Hampshire Fire and Police Headquarters to learn more about the methods they are using to disrupt and address abusive behaviour, whilst also protecting victims and survivors from further harm.

In the week leading up to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we launched the VAWG Support and Specialist Services competition for ‘by and for’ services to ensure support is in place for victims and survivors which best serves their needs. This will award up to £8.4 million over two years.

The ‘Enough’ campaign is our national communications campaign to challenge the harmful behaviours that exist within wider society, educate young people about healthy relationships and consent, and ensure victims can recognise abuse and receive support. To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, it collaborated with influencers and commercial partners to share pledges in support of the day via social media and public relations activity.

In relation to tackling violence against women and girls internationally, the Foreign Secretary hosted a conference on ‘sexual violence in conflict’. Over 1,000 delegates from over 57 countries came together to reaffirm their commitment to preventing sexual violence in conflict. At the conference, the UK launched a new three-year Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative Strategy, announcing further funding of up to £12.5 million to deliver its objectives.